The police yesterday said that Rupununi murder suspect, Cortland Jones and another man were shot during a confrontation.
In a statement, the police said that at approximately 12:30 pm yesterday, acting on information received regarding an alleged murder suspect heading to Lethem, Police ranks departed from the Lethem Police Station in a Force motor vehicle.
The statement said that the Police team proceeded to the Lethem/Kurupukari trail and, while in the vicinity of Pirara Village in Central Rupununi, they encountered Jones and Rickford King, both from Aranaputa Valley, North Rupununi, riding on a motorcycle.
The Police team, on seeing the two men, signalled for them to stop but they did not comply, the statement said. Shortly after, they lost control of the motorcycle and fell to the ground. Upon regaining their footing, the statement said that both suspects advanced towards the police while wielding two choppers. During the confrontation, one of the Police ranks (an Inspector) sustained an injury to his right arm.
In response, the Police discharged two rounds in the direction of the suspects, resulting in King being struck in his lower left hip and Jones sustaining a gunshot wound to his left thigh.
Both suspects were arrested and escorted to the Lethem Regional Hospital, where they were examined by medical personnel on duty. Their conditions have been deemed stable.
